In many instances, a household pet is considered as a family member. As such, the pet is deserving of comfortable accommodations, especially for sleeping.
To provide a comfortable resting surface, numerous animal beds have been described in the prior art and are commercially available. Most pet beds are meant to be placed on the floor, and the pet is expected to make this location and bed its resting and sleeping place. One such pet bed, commercially available from Alpha Innovative , Products, Tulsa, Okla., is a carpet-like piece wherein the pile are a synthetic lambs wool.
More commonly, pet beds of the prior art consist of a "lying down" surface which is surrounded with vertical wall sections. Typically, the overall outside configuration of the pet bed is circular, with an annular sidewall and a circular wall forming the bottom of the bed. Often, the beds consist of baskets, for example, woven of wicker, in in the shape of the basket is placed.
This as well as other types of pet beds have been disclosed and patented in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 216,400; 221,558; 212,009; and 309,199 disclose circular or the like beds with raised sidewalls. Other patents disclose pet mattresses or pillow-like beds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,014 discloses an animal mattress with a liquid impervious outer casing and heat expanded polystyrene beads as cushioning material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,843 discloses a pet bed with a pair of opposed semi-circular cushions forming a pocket into which the pet may crawl. U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,710 discloses a dog mat having a concave upper surface and a beveled edge. U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,456 discloses a pet pillow having a doughnut-shaped sidewall filled with resiliently compressible stuffing.
Still other patents disclose more elaborate resting structures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,689 discloses a pet lounge having a base, a body support platform and a bolster surrounding at least a portion of the body support platform. U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,008 discloses a pet bed with two resting areas which are vertically disposed with respect to each other.
While there appears to be a myriad of prior art beds, few, if any, offer the pet any options in the manner of using the pet bed. Moreover, it frequently occurs that the pet "decides" where it wants to sleep or rest. Moreover, efforts to dissuade the pet from using such a spot are usually unsuccessful. Cats, particularly, are known for finding their own sleeping places, usually on furniture such as chairs, sofas or beds, much to the consternation of an owner who may have placed a pet bed on the floor.
Even if the pet owner is successful in coercing a pet to use a bed placed on the floor, continuous use of the bed (or any spot, e.g., on a chair or sofa) quickly becomes a source of pet hair buildup, soil, spilled liquids such as saliva and urine, and bacterial, flea and tick growth. For example, as the beds absorb water and organic liquids, they begin to develop into an ideal environment for fleas and ticks to live for extended periods of time. The body heat absorbed from the animal lying on the bed also contributes to the breeding environment Also, over a period of time, the beds can begin to promote bacterial growth due to build up of moisture and heat. Such conditions lead to an unhealthy environment for the animal lying on the bed as well as for other members of the pet's "family."
Despite recognition that a pet bed can breed a rather beds are extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to thoroughly clean. Most are big, bulky, and rigid, and constructed of fabric, such as fake fur, which is not readily washable. Accordingly, there is still a need in the animal care industry for a pet bed which is easy to clean, promotes good hygiene, is economical to manufacture, and is, at the same time, usable on any surface which the pet decides it wishes to sleep or rest such as a bed, the back of a sofa or a floor.